Handle assembly for a surgical lighting system

ABSTRACT

A handle assembly comprised of a base and a detachable handle that mounts to the base. The base includes integrated electronics, such as switches. The detachable handle includes buttons for activating the switches.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a handle assembly for alighting system, and more particularly to a handle assembly having adetachable handle that mounts to a base with integrated electronics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Some existing surgical lighting systems include lightheads having apermanently mounted control handle that requires the use of a sterilecover or sterilizable handle cover adapter in order to maintain asterile field. The control handle has integrated capacitive sensors thatreplace conventional replace mechanical control buttons. Thesecapacitive sensors are susceptible to unintended activation duringpositioning of the lighthead. Furthermore, there is no tactile feedbackassociated with activation of the capacitive sensors, thereby makingthem difficult to use.

Alternatives to a permanently mounted control handle include a reusabledetachable control handle which can be repeatedly sterilized or asterile disposable detachable control handle. However, existing priorart detachable control handles do not provide means for activatinglighting system controls that provide tactile feedback and are notsusceptible to unintended activation during positioning of thelighthead.

The present invention provides a handle assembly for a lighting systemthat overcomes these and other drawbacks of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a handleassembly for a lighting system, comprising: a base having at least onecontact element mounted thereto, each contact element having at leastone switch; and a detachable handle mountable to the base, the handlehaving a button membrane that includes at least one button element forrespectively engaging with the at least one contact element.

An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a handleassembly for a surgical lighting system that includes a reusable,sterilizable detachable handle.

Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a handleassembly for a surgical lighting system that eliminates the requirementto use a disposable handle cover to maintain sterility.

A still further advantage of the present invention is the provision of ahandle assembly for a surgical lighting system that has buttons whichprovide tactile feedback to the user.

These and other advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription of illustrated embodiments taken together with theaccompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement ofparts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in thespecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form apart hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighting system including a handleassembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the lighting system of FIG. 1 with an exploded view of thehandle assembly comprised of a base and a detachable handle;

FIG. 3 is a first perspective view of the detachable handle;

FIG. 4 is a second perspective view of the detachable handle;

FIGS. 5-7 are side plan views of the detachable handle;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the handle assembly, with a partialsectional view of the detachable handle;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the handle assembly, with thedetachable handle mounted to the base;

FIG. 10 is a partial exploded view of the handle assembly, with asectional view of the detachable handle;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 11-11 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 12-12 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a lighting system including a handleassembly according to an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention, said handle assembly including a base and a detachable handlethat also functions as a camera housing; and

FIG. 14 shows the handle assembly of FIG. 13, with a partial sectionalview of the detachable handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purposesof illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for thepurposes of limiting same, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a perspective view of aportion of a lighting system 2 that includes a lighthead 4 mounted to asupport member 6. Lighthead 4 is comprised of a lighting unit 5, acontrol unit (not shown), and a handle assembly 15 according to anembodiment of the present invention. Lighting unit 5 includes aplurality of lighting elements, such as LEDs. The control unit includesa microcontroller and associated control electronics. Handle assembly 15is comprised of a base 20 and a detachable handle 70, which aredescribed in detail below.

Detachable handle 70 is generally comprised of an outer housing 72 (bestseen in FIGS. 3-10), an inner shell 130 (best seen in FIGS. 8-11), aplurality of button membranes 160 (best seen in FIGS. 8-11), a lockingmember 190 (best seen in FIGS. 8-10 and 12), and a retaining ring 230(best seen in FIGS. 4 and 8-10).

Outer housing 72 includes a head portion 76 and a body portion 106. Headportion 76 has a side wall 78 and a bottom wall 80. Side wall 78 andbottom wall 80 define a generally cylindrical recess dimensioned toreceive a portion of inner shell 130, locking member 190, and retainingring 230, which are described in detail below. A plurality of mountingbosses 82 project from bottom wall 80, as shown in FIG. 9. Each mountingboss 82 includes an internal threaded recess dimensioned to receive afastener 244 (e.g., a threaded screw). A locating tab 86 projects inwardfrom side wall 78, as shown in FIG. 12. Locating tab 86 includes achannel 88 which is dimensioned to receive a bias member 90. In theillustrated embodiment, bias member 90 takes the form of a compressionspring. An opening 92 is formed in side wall 78 of head portion 76, asbest seen in FIGS. 10 and 12. Opening 92 is dimensioned to receive arelease button 212 (of locking member 190), which extends throughopening 92.

Body portion 106 of outer housing 72 includes a tubular-shaped side wall108 and a bottom wall 114 at a distal end of outer housing 72. Openings110 are formed in side wall 108 and are dimensioned to receive a portionof button membrane 160, as will be described below. Side wall 108defines a recess dimensioned to receive a portion of inner shell 130, asbest seen in FIGS. 8-10.

Inner shell 130 has a head portion 132 and a body portion 142, as bestseen in FIGS. 8-10. In the illustrated embodiment, head portion 132 is aring-shaped structure having a plurality of openings 136 formed therein,as shown in FIG. 9. Openings 136 are dimensioned to receive mountingbosses 82 of outer housing 72. Body portion 142 is a tubular-shapedstructure having a plurality of slots 146. Slots 146 are dimensioned toreceive a portion of button membrane 160, as best seen in FIGS. 8-10.

In the illustrated embodiment, each button membrane 160 has a body 162and a plurality of button elements 170, as best seen in FIGS. 8-10. Eachbutton element 170 includes an outward extending contact portion 172that takes the form of a tactile domed button and an inward extendingengagement portion 176 that takes the form of a plunger member. Contactportion 172 extends forward through opening 110 of outer housing 72, asbest seen in FIG. 8. Engagement portion 176 extends through openings 110of outer housing 72. Engagement portion 176 is dimensioned to beengageable with contact elements of base 20 when contact portion 172 isdepressed by a user. A gap 180 is provided between body 162 and buttonelements 170 to capture an edge portion of side wall 108 of outerhousing 72 adjacent to openings 110. In the illustrated embodiment,button membrane 160 is formed of silicone rubber. It is contemplatedthat a lighting element (e.g., one or more LEDs) may be located withindetachable handle 70 to illuminate button membrane 160. In an embodimentof the present invention, button elements 170 may be used for usercontrol of lighting unit 5, including, but not limited to, lightintensity, ON/OFF, and the like.

Locking member 190 is generally comprised of a ring section 192 having acenter opening 194, and projections 202 and 203, as best seen in FIG.12. Projection 203 includes a slot 204 dimensioned to receive locatingtab 86 of outer housing 72. Bias member 90 is located within the spacedefined by side wall 78, locating tab 86, and projection 203. Releasebutton 212 extends outward from projection 202. As indicated above,release button 212 extends through opening 92 of outer housing 72.

Retaining ring 230 is generally ring-shaped with a center opening 236,as best seen in FIGS. 4, 9 and 10. Retaining ring 230 includes aplurality of receptacles 232 for receiving mounting bosses 82 of outerhousing 72. Each receptacle 232 includes an opening 234 dimensioned toreceive fastener 244 for fixing retaining ring 230 to outer housing 72.Retaining ring 230 captures locking member 190 between retaining ring230 and head portion 132 of inner shell 130.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, outer housing 72,inner shell 130, locking member 190 and retaining ring 230 are made of amolded plastic that is suitable for decontamination using a conventionalsteam sterilization process.

Base 20 of handle assembly 15 is generally comprised of a proximalsection 22, a locking section 30, and a stem section 42, as best seen inFIGS. 8-12. Proximal section 22 has a front face 24 and a rear face 26,as best seen in FIG. 8. Locking section 30 includes an annular groove 32and a frustoconical-shaped portion 34. Frustoconical-shaped portion 34has a front face 36. Annular groove 32 is dimensioned to receive an edgeportion of ring section 192 of locking member 190 located adjacent toopening 194. Detachable handle 70 is mounted to base 20 by capturing theedge portion of ring section 192 in annular groove 32. In theillustrated embodiment, stem section 42 has a plurality of side faces 44and a front face 46. According to an embodiment of the presentinvention, base 20 is made of anodized aluminum. Base 20 also includescontact elements 60 that are mounted to each of the side faces 44 ofbase 20. Each contact element 60 has one or more tactile electrical domeswitches 64 that are engaged by depressing button elements 170 of buttonmembrane 160. Lead wires W extend from contact elements 60 through oneor more channels formed in base 20 to connect with the control unit.Contact element 60 may take the form of a conventional PCB contactswitching element.

It should be appreciated that detachable handle 70 may also bemechanically adapted to rotate about its axis as a means for adjusting apattern size of the light produced by lighting unit 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention will be described. A lighthead 304 is comprised of ahandle assembly 315 according to an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention. Handle assembly 315 has several components in commonwith handle assembly 15. In the illustrated embodiment, handle assembly315 is generally comprised of a base 320 and a detachable handle 370that also functions as a camera housing. Detachable handle 370 issubstantially similar to detachable handle 70. However, a transparentwindow 388 is provided at the distal end of detachable handle 370. Base320 is substantially similar to base 20. However, base 320 includes acamera comprised of an imaging unit 322 and a lens 324 at the distal endthereof.

Assembly and operation of handle assembly 15 will now be described. Tomount detachable handle 70 to base 20, the longitudinal axis ofdetachable handle 70 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of base 20.Stem section 42 of base 20 is received within body portion 106, as bestseen in FIG. 9. Detachable handle 70 is fixed to base 20 by engagementof locking member 190 with locking section 30 of base 20. Locking member190 is movable from a locked position to an unlocked position bydepressing release button 212. In the locked position, the edge portionof ring section 192 of locking member 190 is captured in annular groove32 of locking section 30 of base 20. Bias member 90 is biased to apply aforce that normally maintains locking member 190 in the locked position,as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. When detachable handle 70 is mounted to base20, engagement portions 176 of button membrane 160 are aligned with domeswitches 64 of base 20, as best seen in FIG. 9. When a user depresses acontact portion 172 of button membrane 160, engagement portion 176engages a dome switch 64 to activate an electronic control (e.g., lightintensity). To dismount detachable handle 70 from base 20 release button212 is depressed to move locking member 190 to the unlocked position,thereby allowing detachable handle 70 to be separated from base 20.Detachable handle 70 can then be decontaminated in a decontaminationprocessing device, such as a steam sterilizer.

Handle assembly 315 assembles and operates in a similar manner as handleassembly 15. However, the button elements of detachable handle 370 mayalso be used for control of imaging unit 322. It should be appreciatedthat handle assemblies 15 and 315 may be interchangeably mountable tobase 20.

The foregoing describes specific embodiments of the present invention.It should be appreciated that these embodiments are described forpurposes of illustration only, and that numerous alterations andmodifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it iscontemplated that the detachable handle of the present invention may beadapted to incorporate additional components that are not describedabove, including, but not limited to, a laser, a distance sensor, etc.It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be includedinsofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or theequivalents thereof.

1. A handle assembly for a lighting system, comprising: a base having astem section that includes at least one contact element mounted thereto,each contact element having one or more switches; and a detachablehandle mountable to the base, the handle including: an outer housinghaving a head portion and a body portion, and a button membrane havingone or more button elements accessible through an opening formed in theouter housing, each button element respectively aligned with one of saidswitches when the detachable handle is mounted to the base to allowengagement of the button elements with the switches.
 2. The handleassembly of claim 1, wherein said base includes a locking section forlocking the detachable handle to the base.
 3. The handle assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the button membrane is mounted in the body portion. 4.The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said detachable handle includesan inner shell having: a head portion dimensioned to be received by thehead portion of the outer housing; and a body portion dimensioned to bereceived by the body portion of the outer housing.
 5. The handleassembly of claim 2, wherein said detachable handle includes a lockingmember moveable between locked and unlocked positions, wherein saidlocked position fixes the detachable handle to said locking section ofthe base.
 6. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein each contactelement has at least one lead wire connected to a control unit for thelighting system.
 7. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein each contactelement is a PCB contact switching element.
 8. The handle assembly ofclaim 1, wherein said button membrane is illuminated.
 9. The handleassembly of claim 1, wherein said base includes an imaging unit and alens.
 10. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said detachable handleincludes a transparent window at a distal end thereof.
 11. The handleassembly of claim 1, wherein each button element includes (i) anengagement portion for engagement with one of the switches and (ii) acontact portion for user contact with the button element.
 12. The handleassembly of claim 1, when said body portion includes a recessdimensioned to receive the stem section of the base.